EARTH COUNTERPART

ROLAND'S ARTIST STATEMENT

“The body of work I call Earth Counterpart combines is a unique blend of art, science, and imagination. As an ongoing project, an exploration and study of a theoretical world. I have designed highly detailed topographic, climactic and vegetation models for Earth Counterpart, all of which are still evolving. The results are both surprising and fascinating. After accumulating enough data about a location, I proceed with a drawing or a painting. The visual art is not merely a depiction, but an expression of the unique exploration with unusual possibilities. The viewer, like the artist, is a pioneer, experiencing these new environments alone and for the first time. The accompanying maps and charts help to navigate through the terrain as well as answer questions. Each step of this process enhances the next. Each visual poses new questions. Each map creates new possibilities.”

CLIMATE

"Much of my time and research has focused on the climates of Earth Counterpart. The ongoing exploration has revealed a fascinating Earth-like weather system, with major differences. The axis of Earth Counterpart is a more upright 18 degrees in comparison to Earth’s tilted 23 degrees. This results in sunlight reaching the poles virtually all winter and a more evenly heated planet overall. Earth Counterpart is covered with a much greater amount of ocean, it’s atmosphere is composed of properties in proportions quite similar to those of Earth, with a higher yet stable amount of carbon. It’s ocean temperatures are much warmer contributing to a warmer and deeper atmosphere , ambient air is warmer at both low and higher latitudes resulting in extremely hot and humid conditions at the lower latitudes that would make them unsuitable for habitation, and surprisingly mild temperate climates closer to the poles. Rainfall is greater in all regions especially at the lower latitudes where large regions can receive over 450 inches a year. Warm ocean current access to both polar regions is also a big factor in the mild and sub-tropic climates common at high latitudes , unlike earth which does not have warm ocean access to either of it’s poles resulting in huge expanses of glacier and floating sea ice. Earth Counterpart’s north pole has minimal winter floating sea ice, while it’s south pole has none. Overall compared to Earth a warmer and wetter planet, ideal for supporting plant life and perhaps other forms of life as well. " 

VEGETATION

“The plant life on Earth Counterpart appears to be genetically related to the plants of Earth. They function utilizing the same elements and processes for photosynthesis. Like Earth some are very specialized to a region while others appear to grow transregional. The Northern Hemisphere is covered with great forests, swamps, and open terrains at both high and low latitudes. Much of the woodland and lower latitude regions are inpenetrable. The extremely heat and high humidities make for tough conditions in the field.  There are open vast savannas in some areas suggesting seasonal rainfall, while no arid regions have yet been discovered. In all these places one can observe many plant species that seem to be of a familiar origin but with vastly different growing habits. appearing as if they are more evolved versions of Earth’s such as deciduous and multiple frond neo palms, tree mosses, extra evolved grasses, evolved treelike fungus and mushroom, cycad/conifer hybrids, and broad leaf hybrids among the multitudes to be found here. I have done sketches and paintings of locations in different regions as a way to chronicle this diversity. I have to wonder that if plants evolve and flourish so differently here and would sentient life do so as well?"